“DELTA NEAJLOVULUI” MONASTERY, is one of the largest monasteries in southern Romania. It received the statute of abbey in 2005 and was built after 1990.
The history of the monastery begins in the late 90’s, with a walk of Archimandrite Father Irenaeus (Irineu) – then abbot of the monastery Comana on the bank of Neajlovului – in a scenic area of delta of the river formed here, during which, the idea to build a monastery in this region sprung in the abbot’s mind.
He bought one hectare of agricultural land and he donated it to the future monastery in order to build first a church.
So that, in August 2000, it was laid the cornerstone of the monastery, and time and place consecrated, by His Grace then Theodosius Snagoveanul, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bucharest. However, the construction of the church and community life organization around it, required more and more time. Thus, on his request, the father retired and delivered the Comana monastery’s helm on 1st of November 2003, devoting the whole time and all his power of work, finishing the construction of the new little church. Thus, on May 2nd, 2004 – in the presence of His Beatitude Teoctist, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Reverend Varsanufie, the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Bucharest and Father Constantine Buga, dean of Giurgiu, took place the new church consecration, dedicated to Ascension of our Lord. Asked why he chose “Lord’s Ascension” as titular saint of the church’s hermitage, Father Irenaeus remembers: „At age of 17 I was a brother in Neamt Monastery, whose dedication was also ” Lord’s Ascension”. Even then I wanted to retire there.” If this did not happen and probably would never happen, the Abbot decided to built a church under this saint.
The religious service in “Delta Neajlovului” Hermitage, the construction works for the necessary buildings of monahal life (including a beautiful refectory and other annexes) have not taken Father abbot’s whole time, so that he can dream, make plans with an expert architect – for the Delta Neajlovului Monastery, under the saint title of Holy Virgin Birth (8th of September).
The plan of the monastery depicts a real monastic fortress, with a church cathedral type in the central courtyard surrounded on three of four sides of the rectangle (of 160 on 50 meters) by cells (36 in number). The church has a height of 30 meter in length, apse 18 m width, and the height of 30 meters. If these plans seem utopian or at least a long nuisance, achievable only in a distant future, we would like to notify the skeptics, that on the parking place have already been brought many necessary materials.
Title saint: Nativity of the Virgin (main church), Ascension of the Lord (wooden church), Saints Archangels Michael and Gabriel (chapel).
The old wooden church, consists of cemetery, old annexes and the new church under construction with its annexes.
